Handbook of Latin American politics / edited by Claudia N. Avellaneda (professor, O''Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington, USA), Nathalie Mendez (associate professor, Alberto Lleras Camargo School of Government, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia) and Ricardo A. Bello-Gomez (assistant professor, School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers University - Newark, USA).

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Avellaneda, Claudia N., editor.

Méndez Méndez, Nathalie, editor.

Bello-Gomez, Ricardo A., editor.

Edward Elgar Publishing, publisher.

Series:

Elgar handbooks in political science

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Latin America--Politics and government--21st century--Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Latin America.

Democracy--Latin America--Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Democracy.

Genre:

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1,002 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Northampton : Edward Elgar Publishing, 2026.

Summary:

"The Handbook of Latin American Politics provides a comprehensive overview of the actors, institutions, and challenges shaping politics, governance and democracy across the region. With over 70 entries by leading scholars, it examines the interplay of social movements, political elites, civil society, state institutions, and international actors, revealing both the promise and perils of democratic and institutional development in Latin America. The volume explores how grassroots mobilization and resistance confront democratic backsliding, how institutional design and accountability shape resilience or decay, and how pressing policy challenges-from inequality and migration to social conflict and environmental governance-reshape political dynamics. Special attention is given to public administration, highlighting bureaucratic autonomy, civil service reform, decentralization, corruption, and transparency as crucial dimensions of state capacity and citizen trust. In addition, the Handbook situates regional politics within broader global influences, including international organizations, financial institutions, and social media, and provides detailed case studies of 20 countries. An essential reference for scholars, students, and practitioners, this Handbook will appeal to those interested in Latin American politics, democratization, public administration, political economy, and global governance. Key Features: - 73 entries written by expert scholars - Coverage of the last two decades of Latin American politics, including post-pandemic developments - Analysis of six core dimensions: social actors, institutions, democracy, international actors, policy challenges, and public administration - 20 country case studies"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Contents: Introduction to the handbook of Latin American politics / Claudia N. Avellaneda, Nathalie Mendez and Ricardo A. Bello-Gomez

Part I: Social actors

1. Agrarian movements and peasant struggles in Latin America / Mauricio Velasquez

2. Labor unions in Latin America: Political action and organizational innovation / Walter Omar Manky Bonilla

3. Progress and pretense: The politics of LGBT rights in Latin America and the Caribbean / Juan Moncaleano and Angela Guarin

4. Religious movements / Bibiana Ortega-Gomez and Carolina Cepeda-Masmela

5. Social movements in Latin America / Henry Veltmeyer

6. The representation of women in Latin American politics / Flavia Daniela Freidenberg Andres

7. The role of Afro-descendants in Latin American politics / Angie Edell Campos Lazo and Jorge Rafael Ramirez

8. The role of civil organizations in Latin American politics / Erli Margarita Marin-Aranguren and Francisco Daniel Trejos-Mateus

9. The role of indigenous peoples in Latin American politics / Salvador Mart� and Victor Tricot Salomon

Part II: Institutions in Latin America

10. Central banks and monetary policies / Esteban Perez Caldentey and Mat�as Vernengo

11. Constitutional courts in Latin America / Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Raga and Santiago Virgez-Ruiz

12. Rules regarding who can vote / Eduardo Alem�n

13. From shadow to erosion: Judicial politics in Latin America / Josafat Cortez-Salinas and Camilo Saavedra-Herrera

14. Informal institutions and social norms in Latin America and the Caribbean: A cognitive institutionalist approach / Andres Casas and Pablo Abitbol

15. Legislatures in Latin America / Patrick Cunha Silva and Danilo B. Medeiros

16. Media and politics in Latin America / Carolina Matos

17. Presidency and cabinet politics / Magna Inacio

18. Stability and change: Different perspectives for understanding Latin American party systems / Laura Wills-Otero and Laura Daniela Guerrero

19. Subnational tensions / Kent Eaton

20. The armed forces, crime, and protests in Latin America / David Pion-Berlin

Part III: Challenges to democracy

21. Democratic backsliding in Latin America benjamin / Garcia Holgado and Eugenia Artabe

22. How much have we learned from Latin American populisms? / Felipe Burbano de Lara

23. New left turns in Latin America / Maxwell A. Cameron and Agust�n Goenaga

24. The role of the far right in Latin American politics / Jose Antonio Sanahuja and Camilo Lopez Burian

Part IV: International actors

25. International NGOs in Latin America / Susan Appe and Jairo Rivera V�squez

26. Latin American regionalism: Between resilience and crisis / Julissa Castro Silva and Cintia Quiliconi

27. Politics in the age of disinformation: The role of social networks in Latin America / Erica Guevara and Ignacio Siles

28. The role of international financial institutions in Latin America / Pablo Fleiss and Marcelo Bisogno

29. United States policy towards Latin America in the early twenty-first century / Michael E. Allison

Part V: Policy challenges in Latin American politics

30. An ever-promising and challenging public space: Urban policy in Latin America / Jose Sanchez Cetina and Alejandra Medina

31. Drug trafficking in Latin America / Marai Alejandra Velez Lesmes and Lucas Marin Llanes

32. Environmental politics in Latin America: Amazon in the eye of the storm / Felipe Roa Clavijo and Sebastian Camilo Bonilla Gamba

33. Gangs and urban security / Sebastian Bitar

34. Inequality and poverty / Bilyana Petrova

35. Land reform / Julio Ramos

36. Latin American political culture / Jose Alvaro Moises

37. Migration in Latin America / Rafael Alfonso Hernandez Lopez and Jessica Natalia Najera Aguirre

38. Officeless inclusion? Social class and popular sectors in Latin American politics / Nicolas Somma

39. Political economy: Latin America in its growth labyrinth / Julio Ramos Pastrana and Gustavo Torrens

40. Protecting the elderly: The design of pension systems in Latin America / Oscar Becerra and David Forero

41. Race and politics in Latin America / Kwame D. Dixon and Lisa Lawrence

42. Social conflict in Latin America / Celia Wilson Garcia and Lorenza B. Fontana

43. Social policy in Latin America: Two-tiered welfare regimes at a crossroads / Fabian Borges Herrero

44. The dichotomy of human rights in Latin America: Between external intervention and self-determination / Alfonso Jaime Mart�nez Lazcano

Part VI: Public administration

45. Agenda setting in the Latin American policy process / Juan Guillermo Viera Silva

46. Bureaucratic autonomy in Latin American politics / Gabriela Spanghero Lotta, Iana Alves de Lima, Mariana Costa Silveira and Rayane Vieira Rodrigues

47. Civil service in Latin America: Legalism, patronage and merit / Pablo Sanabria-Pulido, Jose Acevedo and Ricardo A. Bello-Gomez

48. Clientelism in Latin America / Hel�ene Combes and Gabriel Vommaro

49. Competitive neopatrimonialism in Latin America / Diego Salazar Morales

50. Decentralization in Latin America: Assessing progress and future challenges / Ricardo Bello-Gomez, Nicolas Lagos Machuca and Claudia N. Avellaneda

51. State development and capacity in Latin America / Juan Fernando Ibarra del Cueto

52. The role of corruption in Latin American politics and political life / Elizabeth Perez Chiques

53. What we mean by transparency in Latin America / Mauricio Astudillo Rodas and Tzu-An Chian

Part VII: Countries

54. Argentina: Institutional weakness, economic volatility, and the quest for sustainable reform / Sebastian M. Saiegh

55. Bolivian politics under the new mas: Polarization and internal divisions / Carla Alberti

56. Brazil / Claudio Gon�calves Couto and Ricardo Corr�ea Gomes

57. Chile / Carmen Le Foulon and Julieta Suarez-Cao

58. Colombia: Democracy and state capacity in a post-armed conflict society / Nathalie Mendez and Juan Federico Pino Uribe

59. Costa Rica: Political representation crisis threatens democratic stability / Ronald Alfaro-Redondo

60. Cuba / Daniel I. Pedreira

61. Dominican Republic, navigating democracy: Authoritarian legacies, democratic reforms, and social challenges / Anselmo Mu�niz and Carlos Morel

62. Ecuador: Understanding political polarization across the tightrope of democracy / Julio Zambrano-Gutierrez and Lorena Amezquita Castro

63. El salvador: The return to authoritarian governance: Violent peace and democratic erosion / Ainhoa Montoya

64. Guatemala: Precarious democracy and the menace of impunity / Kevin Pallister

65. Haiti, men mwen (here i am)! Biding, revolution, and pauperization / Patrick Sylvain

66. Honduras: Political development, party system change, and prospects for democratic consolidation and effective government / Stephan Garner Cruz and Alan Zarychta

67. Mexico / Francisco Javier Aparicio

68. Nicaragua: The resurgence of authoritarianism / Shelley McConnell

69. Panama: The high price of governance / Harry Brown and Carlos Garcimartin

70. Paraguay: Embedded authoritarian democracy / Andrew Nickson

71. Peru: Democratic advances and democratic backsliding amid formidable challenges / Cynthia McClintock

72. Uruguay: An emerging high-income country with a consolidated democracy / Veronica Perez-Bentancur, Rafael Pi�neiro-Rodriguez and Fernando Rosenblatt

73. Venezuela / Raul Sanchez Urribarri and Jessica Velasquez Urribarri.

Notes:

Description based on print record.

ISBN:

9781035325559 (e-book)

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.